Hospitality entrepreneurs Liam White and Simon Cant have just added a fourth venue, The Wheatsheaf, to their growing portfolio of Island pubs.
The dynamic duo took over the popular Wheatsheaf Hotel in Newport in May. They’re already working on plans for improvements to the venue’s pizzeria, bar and letting rooms.
The regulars can be assured that the upgrading will be done in careful, gradual phases. They won’t affect the smooth running and atmosphere of the place.
Liam and Simon, both trained chefs who have worked in hospitality since leaving school, have taken less than four years to build their own mini-chain of lsland pubs. They started with The Castle Inn in Newport. They transformed it by adding a new pub food menu, a family-friendly garden, and regular promotions.
Then came The Vine in St Helens, an olde-worlde food-led venue that perfectly suited their emerging brand, and only last year they took on The Crown at Shorwell – where they had previously worked together some years before.
The Wheatsheaf
Liam says The Wheatsheaf offers a great challenge as it is essentially three businesses in one, with the pizza restaurant, bar and letting rooms.
“Every new property we’ve taken on has been a new adventure, and this will be no exception” he said. “There’s certainly a lot going on here with the hospitality side, breakfasts and reservations.”
He and Simon are currently working on re-branding and creating new menus for the bar and they’ll be recruiting chefs and other staff to ensure the smooth running of the operation.
And then on the hunt for another venue to add to the mini empire, perhaps?
“Certainly not for a while yet” laughs Liam. “We have more than enough to keep us busy at The Wheatsheaf for the time being.”
You can visit The Wheatsheaf at 16 St Thomas Square, Newport, PO30 1SG. Call them on: 01983 530777.